If I really want to focus on eating more slowly and mindfully, I'll try eating with my non-dominant hand.

Before eating, breathe mindfully, inhale through nose, hold to mental count of 4, then exhale slowly counting backwards from 10 to 1

No matter how good it tastes, if you feel comfortable, no longer stomach hungry, stop eating. Leave a little behind, if you want a little behind.

Put fork down between bites, or sandwich down between bites, chew 20 times before taking next bite. Notice the textures change.

Is it Hunger or Desire?

Set a timer for 5 min. into your meal and evaluate your hunger. If eating with others, wait a minute and focus on conversation.

Eat Sitting Down, put food on plate, so it counts.

Use a meal-closer (gum, a mint, coffee, tea, mouthwash) to send a signal to your brain that you've finished eating this meal.

Offer less variety, but be sure it's food you like. The more variety, the more we eat. It's called sensory-specific satiety.

After a plate of chicken, you probably won’t feel like eating more poultry. This is known as ‘sensory-specific satiety,’ or not wanting more of the same. But your appetite (as opposed to your hunger) is reignited when you see the salads. Then the pasta. Then the kids' Grilled Cheese. Then the sweets. Each time you see a different category of food you are at risk of thinking you feel like eating it. Remember: hunger is not a thought, it is a sensation. If you eat slowly and mindfully and continue to check whether you have reached 80 percent fullness, you will know when it is time to stop eating — even if you haven’t sampled every available dish.